Bere may



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK BEST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

Wllines sea 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

Im/enhr" (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

No. 394,196. Patented Dec. 11. 1888.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFEIcE.

THOMAS HU lrHES DELABERE MAY, OF BATH, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, ENGLAND.

BOOK-=REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,196, dated December11, 1888.

Application filed May 16, 1888. Serial No. 274,057. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HUGHES DELA- BlGRE MAY, gentleman, at presentresiding at Montpelier House, Bath, in the county of Somerset, England,have invented a new and useful Book-Best for the Use of lnvalids, ofwhich the followin a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to appliances for supporting and holding open abook in position for reading by a person lying face upward or recliningin any other position.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, wherein Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofthe apparatus as in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 aperspective, of the bookholder, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. l shows amodification.

The same letters of reference indicate cor responding parts in all thefigures.

The book-holder proper consists of a jointed frame adapted to clasp thebook covers and leaves and to hold the book wide open in position forreading, and of which the several parts are adjustable to suit thedesired position and size of the book. This frame c011- sists of abackclamp, A, and of a pair of arms, B, terminating in adjustable clipsC, adapted to embrace the edges of the side covers and the leaves of thebook. The backclamp consists of a bar, A, passing along the back of thebook, and of a cord or wire, a,which is made permanently fast at one endto the bar A, and which, after being inserted between the leaves of thebook at about the middle thereof, is made fast at the other end also bymeans of a loose collar, a, or by other means. The arms B are pivotedupon apivot, D, common to both, and to a rod, E, to the lower forked endof which the bar A of the back-clamp is pin-jointed, the arms B and rodE having a series of holes to receive the pivot D, to enable theirlength or relative position to be varied as may be required. The arms Band the rod E may, however, be made telescopic, so as to enable theirlength to be varied, and they would in this case be pivoted to a block,E, as seen in Fig. 4. The

shanks (I of the clips slide through sockets in the ends of the arms B,and the prongs c, forming the clips proper, are fixed in the ends of theshanks C.

The book-holder above described (when in us by a person reclining faceupward) suspended from a rod, 'F, to which it is connected by ajoint-pin in the lower forked end, f, of said rod engaging in a notch ofa rack, f, formed in the bar A, which is embraced by the forked end ofthe rod 1*, and is adjustable longitudinally therein, so as to enablethe inclination of the book to be varied as required by shifting thepoint of suspension. The rod F is adjustable as to height by means of arack, g, formed in it engaging with a crosspin, g, in a slotted piece,G, through which the bar F can slide. This piece G is itself supportedby being threaded on a cord or wire, H, stretched at a sufficientelevation over the bed from head to foot and kept taut either by beingattached thereto a-tboth ends by any suitable meanssuch, for example, asa hook at one end and a cleat, such as shown in Fig. 1, for taking upthe slack, and making fast the-free end of the cord; or, instead of acleat, a pendent weight maybe attached to the free end. The guide-pieceG may be ad justed by being slid along the cord or wire H, as will bereadily understood.

This improved book-h0lder may also be applied to a reclining chair orcouch by substituting for the cord or wire H a suitable overhead supportfor the guide-piece G.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is V 1. The combination of the bar A, cord or wire a, andthe pair of arms B, terminating in clips 0 and pivoted on a commoncenter, with a thrust-rod, E, carried by the bar A, to which thrust-rodthe arms B are pivoted, the several parts being adapted to hold a bookin the manner described.

2. The combination of the bar A, cord or wire a, the pair of arms B,terminating in clips 0, and the thrust-rod E, the said arms beingpivotally connected with the thrustrod, the arms and clips being madeextensiand With a guide having'a cross-pin engaging in the said rack,substantially as described.

5. The conibination'of the book-holderwith a suspension-rod having arack, a guide having a pin for engaging the suspension-rod, and with acord or Wire for supporting said guide, as and for the purpose hereindescribed.

The foregoing specification of my bookrest and bed-clothes supporter forthe use of invaiids signed by me this 1st day of May, 1888.

. THOMAS HUGHES DELABERE MAY.

\Vitnesses:

\V. J. SKERTEN,

17 Gmcechm'ch St, London, E. C. G. F. WARREN,

Notary Public, London.

